AFRICA: In Sudan, thousands of Islamists met under pressure from reformers who say that corruption and other problems have caused the regime to drift away from its religious foundations.

AMERICAS: In Honduras, US officials are demanding answers after soldiers who were trained, vetted and equipped by the US government killed a 15-year-old boy this past May.

ASIA: China’s new leader Xi Jinping lead the newly elected members of the Chinese Communist Party into the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where he spoke of the “severe challenges” including corruption and alienation from the people that the country faces in the coming years.

EUROPE: In Bosnia, the UN unanimously voted to renew the European-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia in light of increasing Serb challenges to the country’s sovereignty.

TECHNOLOGY: A report by communications firm Burson-Marsteller said only nine nations of the 193 member states own the Twitter accounts bearing their country name, with only three officially verified by the site.

TOP STORY

Israel and the Palestinian Territories:Clashes continued unabated after Israel killed a senior Hamas military commander, Ahmed Jaabari, and his bodyguard.

Israeli military officials said a ground invasion is a “distinct possibility” as Israeli troops amassed at the Gaza border this morning.

After Israel carried out more than 20 air strikes and sea artillery attacks on Gaza the UN called an emergency meeting between Israel and the Palestinian territory of Gaza where Palestinian officials asked the Security Council to act to halt Israel’s military operation.

Israel’s security cabinet voted to allow army reservists to be called up “according to need.”

US President Obama spoke with Israeli PM Netanyahu and Egyptian President Morsi in an effort to de-escalate the conflict in Gaza and avoid civilian casualties.

Ghana: Argentina has filed a lawsuit against Ghana at an international tribunal over Ghana’s seizure of an Argentinean military ship last month. (AFP)

Somalia: President Mohamed reversed course on what to do with millions of sacks of charcoal stockpiled in former rebel strongholds after the UN imposed a ban on charcoal aimed at cutting off funds to al Shabaab. (Reuters)

Sudan: Thousands of Islamists met in Sudan under pressure from reformers who say corruption and other problems have caused the regime to drift away from its religious foundations. (AFP)

AMERICAS

Colombia: Human Rights Watch released a report focused on women displaced by the conflict in Colombia as the frequent victims of gender-based violence, often without access to the medical attention that they need despite regulations established last year to help them. (AP)

Guatemala: The US placed sanctions on a son and a daughter of Waldemar Lorenzana Lima, a powerful Guatemalan drug trafficker linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel. (XIN)

Honduras: US officials are demanding answers after soldiers who were trained, vetted and equipped by the US government killed a 15-year-old boy in Honduras this past May. (AP)

Mexico: President-elect Pena Nieto proposed to create an “impartial” anti-corruption agency and hand vast security powers to the interior ministry, placing the federal police, border control and prisons under its umbrella. (AFP)

ASIA

Region: Japan, China and South Korea will hold ministerial discussions next week where they are expected to agree on the launch of three-way free trade talks. (AFP)

Syria: France plans to ask the EU to re-examine the current arms embargo on Syria in an effort to help opposition forces. (AFP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Communications: A report by communications firm Burson-Marsteller said only nine nations of the 193 member states own the Twitter accounts bearing their country name, with only three officially verified by the site. (AFP)

Communications: The US Senate rejected the Cybersecurity Act for the second time. (Hillicon Valley)

Communications: Israel’s military launched a social media campaign to defend its actions in Gaza after Palestinian residents in Gaza documented the Israeli strikes bombarding them in real time on Twitter.